Opportunity Cost
by Xiuzou
Summary: They say: "If you love something let it go." With Miku's choice of future causing concern for Fuutarou, will their relationship withstand, evolve, or crumble? Will they make the choice that they'll enjoy for the rest of their lives?


"Are you sure about this? Do you have a backup plan?" Fuutarou asks, looking at an application form. Today is quiet, eerily so. Most of them weren't home for one reason or another; Itsuki and Yotsuba went out somewhere with their savings, Nino had to stay at the shop to assist in meeting a surprise request from a film crew nearby, Ichika was where you'd think she'd be. This just left these two, Miku and Fuutarou, alone in their high-rise apartment.

"I've decided. I'm going to go to a culinary school. Fuutarou, I want this." Miku says, confidently writing down her choice. Ever since that trip to Kyoto, ever since she let those words come out of her mouth, she's changed. She smiled as Fuutarou looked on.

"But, what about your grades? You've gotten the highest scores among the five of you. Wouldn't they be going to waste?" He rubs his head.

"Even if I get the highest grades, I did not enjoy my time with them. Don't you feel the same way, Fuutarou?"

"What do you mean? When I was focused on studying I..."

"Zone out? Go into a frenzy? Fuutarou, what is it you enjoy?" She asks, looking at him, staring into his eyes. He doesn't reply. "If it makes you feel better, then here." Miku picks gets a form from his hands, a college where many historians have graduated from. "This is where you wanted me to go, right?"

"I...well, we still have some time before we have to submit these. And graduation is still three months away." Fuutarou rubs the back of his neck. "What is it I enjoy?"

* * *

"Ah, Miku. Your shift is over too." Fuutarou walks out, spotting her from across the street. They walk home together, though they don't talk.

"Do you have an answer yet?" Miku asks as they make a turn.

"Not yet. You're really the one that asks deep questions, you know." Fuutarou ponders.

"Do you know why I want to go to that school?"

Fuutarou shakes his head. He hasn't really asked, only ever being confused whenever the topic came up.

"Well, it all started with our jog on that day in second year." Miku said, leaning against a stop sign. "After that day, I realized what I enjoyed. I wanted to have it more and more. Slowly, very slowly, I started to change to try and feel it more and more. Somethings sped it up, others slowed it down, but I kept wanting to change to be with what I loved."

"..."

"You're not dense, Fuutarou. I wanted to be the girl you liked. Though I can't do that last point of loving my older brother, since I don't have one." Miku jokes. "I wanted to be someone you'd fall for. But that was then." She brushed her hair with her hands.

"And now?" Fuutarou asked.

"Now, I'm doing this for myself. Because of you, I've found not only what I'm good at, but what I want to be good at as well." She says, brushing aside her bangs to reveal her face fully. "And it all started with the man I love."

"Miku..."

* * *

"You're really going. Congratulations Miku." Fuutarou says, meeting with her in front of their apartment. She has her luggage in her hand.

"Yeah. I'll be gone for a while. It's pretty far and I have to move to somewhere closer. Goodbye Fuutarou."

"Will you come back?"

"Maybe. I'm going to chase my dream, but I'm not sure what's going to happen."

"If it doesn't go well, you can always come back. I'll be here, waiting."

"How can I be sure? You have your own life Fuutarou, you might not be here anymore."

"I will, because I..."

This is it, the words she's been waiting to hear ever since that painful jog. The words that she knew would bring her to tears if she'd heard them. The words she was afraid to overhear, but that didn't matter now. She turned around to face him as he let the air escape his lungs.

"I love you. I'll wait. I've finally realized what I enjoyed, so don't be gone too long okay? I want to spend more time with you Miku."

She runs up to him, embracing him tightly. She knocks him on the ground, their faces just inches away from each other. She slowly leaned towards him. "I love you too Fuutarou."

* * *

"Wait, so mom confessed first, but then she said she didn't. Then she confessed again, and only after that did you confess." A young girl, maybe 13, asks an older Fuutarou. "He was dense." Miku walks in, plates of food in her hands. "Let's eat."


End file.
